Girl pulled from icy pond after she tried to rescue dog

A 15-year-old girl — and the dog she was trying to rescue — were both pulled to safety by fire fighters Monday afternoon, after they fell through the icy surface of the Memorial Park pond.

Charles Winokoor

A 15-year-old girl — and the dog she was trying to rescue — were both pulled to safety by fire fighters Monday afternoon, after they fell through the icy surface of the Memorial Park pond.

Police say Moriah Johnson of Taunton and her two younger sisters were walking near the edge of the pond at 1 p.m. when their dog began to chase a bird, and ran out onto the pond’s semi-frozen surface.

When the dog fell into the chilly water, Johnson, who police said did not have a cell phone handy, took her chances and ventured out toward her pet.

Unfortunately for her the warmer weather (the temperature was 41 degrees at the time) had caused the ice to weaken, and she broke through roughly 100 feet off shore, according to Taunton Fire Capt. Windsor Smith.

It took less than 10 minutes for fire department Lt. Jeff Durham to wade out into the shallow water in a cold-weather suit, grab hold of the girl and push her to safety.

At the same time that Durham and Johnson were trudging through ice floes, firefighter Tony Burton had his hands full getting the ever playful dog — which appeared to be a black Lab mix — back onto shore as well.

The two firefighters used flotation devices and a water rescue rope to complete the rescue.

It’s not clear who called 911, but Taunton Police Officer Joseph Balmain said a maintenance worker from the Memorial United Methodist Church on Somerset Avenue had tried to help by tossing an electrical cord out to the girl.

Fire Deputy Chief Tim Bradshaw said when emergency personnel arrived both the girl and her dog were hanging on to chunks of ice — the girl with her hands and the dog with its paws.

And although the water was less than four feet deep, he said that doesn’t mean the situation could not have turned tragic. “It’s deep enough to drown if they went under,” said Bradshaw, adding that firefighters from both the Weir and Central station houses responded. “The guys did a good job,” he said.

In addition to fire and ambulance vehicles, a state police rescue helicopter hovered overhead. It responded so quickly, Capt. Windsor said, most likely because it was already in the general vicinity.

Johnson was transported to Morton Hospital and Medical Center where she was treated and released, a spokeswoman for the hospital later in the day said.

Also responding to the scene were two state troopers and Rick Ferreria, director of Taunton’s Emergency Management Agency.

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